Whoopi Goldberg has come to realize the importance of expressing love and gratitude to those closest to her, a lesson that has shaped her grief journey after losing her mother, Emma Johnson, 14 years ago as she recounts her childhood experiences.
In a candid conversation with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on his “All There Is” podcast, Goldberg shared that she initially struggled to understand her own emotional response to her mother’s passing. “I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t more devastated,” she admitted.
At first, Goldberg didn’t think she was “responding correctly” in how she mourned her mother, she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on this week’s episode of his “All There Is” podcast, where the two had a candid conversation about grief.
That’s not to say that there’s a right or a wrong way to grieve a loved one, but Goldberg felt like her way was different.
Whoopi Goldberg recounted some childhood experiences that she also treasured but added that 14 years of her mum’s death seemed heavy on her.
Veteran American actress, Whoopi Goldberg
However, Goldberg recently had an epiphany: since she and her mother had left nothing unsaid, she didn’t experience the typical angst and regret that often accompanies grief. “We always told each other ‘I love you’ and affirmed our bond,” Goldberg explained.
This realization stems from her childhood experiences. When her mother spent two years in a mental health facility, Goldberg learned that “nothing is forever.”
“I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t more devastated,” she said. But days before she sat down to chat with Cooper, she said she finally figured out why.
“There was nothing left unsaid with us, so there was no angst to find,” Goldberg said of her mother. “That thing that I’ve seen in movies where I see people go through, I didn’t go through it because my experience was, ‘you know I adored and loved you, and you were the center of my life.’ The same with my brother. We said it to each other all the time.”
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This lesson has influenced her perspective on life and relationships.
Despite being a mother and grandmother, Goldberg confessed that after her brother Clyde’s passing five years after her mother’s, she felt profound loneliness. Yet, she acknowledges the value of cherishing memories and expressing love without reservation.
Goldberg’s story highlights the complexities of grief and the importance of open communication in relationships. By sharing her experiences, she encourages others to prioritize expressing love and gratitude to those who matter most.
